The Fourth Quarter Quell
by Snowfluff
Summary: 24 years after the Second Dark Days, the Hunger Games are revived once more. This time in the fourth Quarter Quell, the Cornucopia will only supply ONE weapon, ONE backpack, and ONE supply of food and water. Rated T because it is the Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

**Meet Your Tributes**_  
_

**M= Male**

**F= Female**

**District** **1**

Tara Gore (F) - 14

Bryan Kessler (M) - 16

**District 2**

Mackenzie Doom (F) - 13

Max Holter (M) - 15

**District 3**

Zeena Garcia (F) - 15

Glitch Pierce (M) - 16

**District 4**

Victoria Cristo (F) - 15

Tiger Moor (M) - 14

**District 5**

Jaci Garner (F) - 14

Voltaic Nosa (M) - 16

**District 6**

Crystal Lumen (F) - 14

Slade Griffith (M) - 16

**District 7**

Elana Trotyle (F) - 13

Guy Seville (M) - 14

**District 8**

Glace DeBay (F) - 12

Grey Falkner (M) - 16

**District** **9**

Violet Flores (F) - 14

Roman Bronicki (M) - 15

**District 10**

Aoife Strongbow (F) - 15

Kurt Morein (M) - 14

**District 11**

Cher Elgan (F) - 14

Jules Zinn (M) - 17

**District 12**

Jay Reeds (F) - 13

Ash Birchwood (M) - 12

* * *

_24 years after the Second Dark Days, rumors of rebellion churned again in Panem. Soon afterwards, President Paylor was hijacked by President Snow's and Coin's followers. Because of the hijack, President Paylor believed that the districts deserved pain for rebelling against the wonderful, and revived the Hunger Games. Once again the horrible days where every year, one boy and girl between the ages 12 and 18 from each district were reaped and sent to the Capitol to fight to the death. President Paylor is rumored to be getting better, though we cannot prove this now that she sits in her mansion 24/7 to protect herself from_ _invasions. _

Edith Waters smiled as she typed a few more words into her computer and gave the commands to erase this report. She then typed up a new report, that said that President Paylor came to her senses and revived the old ways of Panem.

Which was technically true.

Standing up and clutching her clipboard, Edith walked over to the Command Room, where the whole entire arena could be viewed.

Her crew had be working on this for several months. With such little time to complete the 100th Hunger Games, Edith had made sure she hired twice the many workers.

And it payed off. The arena was now nearly finished - her workers just needed to tweak a few little things.

Edith walked over to a high chair facing the television, where you could see anything - from the arena to the tribute's outfits for the arena.

"President Paylor."

The high chair swung around and showed off a business lady wearing a gray business suit. She had gray hair, a few wrinkles, and was clutching a briefcase.

"Ah, Edith," President Paylor stood up and gave Edith a brief hug. "I have just been watching your workers finishing the arena. I think this Quarter Quell will be marvelous."

Edith smiled. "Indeed it will. In fact, how about I show you our newest muttations?"

President Paylor nodded. "I would be honored to peak into your special work."

Edith tapped the screen, and what showed up was a little golden insect with a huge black diamond on its back.

"Moodbugs," Edith explained. She tapped the screen again, which zoomed in to focus on the little bug. "These are specially programmed to induce a change of behavior inside the person it bites. They are about 1/4 inch long, and can bite through fabric. If bitten, the effects last for about thirteen hours before the possible hallucinations or death begin."

"Marvelous," President Paylor. "Just...marvelous."

"Yes," Edith nodded eagerly. "We used just a regular old water beetle, injected some tracker jacker venom inside, and wala! Moodbugs."

"I heard that you also created yet another muttation? One that will delve into the deepest parts of the tributes' minds?" President Paylor asked.

Edith glanced around, making sure no one else was paying attention to them.

She then returned her gaze to the President.

"'fraid I can't tell you that, President Paylor." Edith replied, holding up her index finger to her lips. "Top secret."

President Paylor smiled in return. "Top secret."

**The Hunger Games will be starting very soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So guys...here it is! My first installment of ****_The Hunger Games._**** I'm just doing a couple of Reapings, not all of them, and I'm sorry if your character wasn't picked. Additionally, I will be using stuff like 'FD12'. That just means 'female district 12' which means I'm writing in the female District 12 tribute's POV. Yeah. Let's get this started!**

_Victoria Cristo (FD4)_

I let go of my net and I smile as the net splashes into the water.

Today is the day. The day I volunteer for the Hunger Games.

Its going to be epic. This is the first Hunger Games that has happened in...what, 25 years?

As I reel in my net, I notice Tiger Moor stalking the edges of the beach. My smile instantly vanishes.

I went out with Tiger a few months ago, but I dumped him. He was too cocky and so not my type. Sure, he's got the looks but not the personality.

After I gather up my catch, I head home to change into a Reaping outfit. I want to look my spot on best for the Capitol.

My family already knows I'm going to volunteer. My mother doesn't really approve of it, but my father is all on out about it. When he was seventeen, he won the 72nd Hunger Games. He was utterly disappointed when the other side won, and the Hunger Games were demolished.

I decide on a low V-neck turquoise dress that shows off a little bit of skin, and when I turn you can see a nice curve on my back. I want to look sexy for the Capitol.

When the Reaping bell rings, I leap up from where I'm sitting, kiss my mother and father goodbye, and rush to the town square.

I can feel my fingers tingling as Sarah Cook, the new District 4 tribute escort, dips her hand into the girls Reaping bowl and swirls her hand around until she finally grabs one piece of paper. Just as she is opening the paper up, I immediately yell, "I volunteer!"

The next few minutes are a blur. All I can remember is me racing up to the stage, eagerly shaking Sarah's hand, and watching Tiger getting reaped...

The next thing I know, I'm whisked away onto the train heading to the Capitol.

_Cher Elgan (FD11)_

I feel sick to my stomach as my mother finishes tying the bow onto my back. I quickly turn around and embrace my mother.

If I leave for the Hunger Games, she will only be here with my two younger brothers, Mark and Chaz.

"If you're Reaped, don't worry about Mark, Chaz, and I." My mother says as we pull back. "Just know that we will be rooting for you."

I feel a deep twinge in my heart as she says this. The Reaping bell rings, and I grit my teeth.

"You're going to be fine. You can win." she assures me.

During the Reaping, I keep my head down.

I ball up my fists as Melisa Auxier reaches into the girls Reaping bowl.

I can only hope that its not me, its not me, its not me...

"Cher Elgan." Dread fills my stomach as I lift my head up and feel my legs walking towards the stage.

My brothers are crying, screeching, wailing somewhere in the back. I quickly look back to see my mother mouthing some words.

_"You can win."_

Suddenly believing my mother's words, that I can win, that I have a chance of returning back to District 11, I put on a smile and shake hands with Melisa and watch as the boy tribute is Reaped.

Its time to start thinking about strategy.

_Grey Falkner (MD8)_

Homeless people are not that common here in District 8.

But I'm sorry to say that I'm one.

As I step out of my makeshift home (a simple cardboard box), I search the ground for something that I could possibly use to bribe the factory workers.

Ah. A few bills. This should work. As I walk towards the factory, I take time to brush off the ash on my sweater.

Ash. The only thing that reminds District Eight of the Second Dark Days.

President Paylor was from here. We're not proud to say this, though. Ever since she revived the Hunger Games, people here in District 8 act like she's never set foot here.

But she has. She's one of the main reasons District 8 survived the Second Dark Days.

I was named after the grey skies my mother saw years after the rebellion. She thought it was a sign that something bad was going to happen. Perhaps it was the Hunger Games revival...or maybe it was my father leaving us a few days after I was born, and my mother committing suicide.

"Hey, Dale," I call to my best friend, who's rich and a factory worker.

"Grey," he nods as he works with the machine that stitches the fabric so perfectly together. I know he's making a new Peacekeeper outfit.

"Look what I have," I wiggle the few bills in my hands. I can see Dale's pupils dilating. "Woah," he whispers, reaching to touch the bills. "Where'd you...where'd you find that?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Somewhere."

I manage to get a few loaves of bread and some sweaters for the money. As I'm walking back to my cardboard box, munching on my breakfast, I hear the Reaping siren. Sighing, I head towards town square.

My hands are stuffed in my pockets as the escort, Erik Fansler, squeals, "I'll do the gentlemen first!", and digs his hand into the Reaping bowl.

Out comes a single slip of paper, one that says,

"Grey Falkner."

Whatever. If I die in the Hunger Games, at least I will be reunited with my family.

I roughly shake Erik's hand and stand in the shadows as I watch Erik prance over to the girl's bowl.

"Glace DeBay."

My eyes narrow and I frown. Glace? _Glace? _The talkative, fun girl from the factory?

She's only twelve years old! That's unfair!

I watch as her parents hug her and as she stiffly walks up the stage.

"Happy Hunger Games!" Erik trills into the microphone.

No, it won't be a happy one.


	3. Chapter 3

**I will be doing most of the Reapings, since some of the characters are the ones that my friends and I created, so I'm only doing the characters that you guys created. Additionally, there is a poll on my profile page - so go vote who's your favorite tribute!**

_Voltaic Nosa (MD5)_

My sword slashes down from nowhere, slicing my enemy's chest, shoulder, and head.

I step back and hear the satisfying thud of the dummy's head.

I'm training for the Hunger Games. If I get Reaped - and there is a chance I will - I need to be ready for anything.

Now, I'm more compatible with a bow, but what if there are no bows in the arena? I'm also good at swimming, but what if there is no water?

I've decided to get better at my one-handed weapons. I've already trained with maces, knives, and daggers.

I'm heavily panting when my mother pokes her head into my room and says, "Lunch is ready!"

My sword clanks onto the floor as it leaves my hand and I follow my mother into the living room.

Here in District Five, we're not poor as District 11 and 12. Not a lot of kids here take out on tesserae.

As I munch on my carrots, my baby brother Preston lets out a wail. I can't help but let out a smile. He's so tiny, so cute...its horrible to think that one day, he might step into the arena himself.

"So Voltaic," My father says as my mother collects the dishes. "You ready for the Reaping?"

"Never been more prepared," I reply, showing off my biceps. He smiles. "You make me proud, son."

The Reaping siren shrieks throughout the district. I put on a simple T-shirt and jeans - I don't think its necessary to get dressed up for this event. I mean, seriously - you're heading to what could quite possibly be the end of your life, and you decide to look all cute and sexy?

You're just wasting your time.

But fine - if some opponents are like that in the Games, they'll be easier to kill, since they'll be all full of themselves, desperate to find a mirror and see if there's a single split end in their hair.

As the Peacekeeper pricks my finger, I look around and size up the other people here.

Short girls, tall girls, nerdy boys...the usual latter.

"Happy Hunger Games!" I let out a groan as Hillary Scholes from the Capitol shrieks into the microphone.

All I can do is sag my shoulders and watch as she picks the girl tribute - Jaci Garner, a girl I've never seen in my life.

My breath stops as Hillary walks over towards the boys' Reaping bowl. It almost seems to me that she's walking in slow motion.

"Voltaic Nosa."

I freeze, waiting for the news to seep in.

"Voltaic Nosa? Are you here?"

I slowly make my way towards the stage, looking back at my mother, father, and Preston.

My father smiles and mouths the word, "Go."

So I lift my head and walk onto the stage, firmly shaking Hillary's hand.

I have to win the Games. For my family.

_Aoife Strongbow (FD10)_

I sit in the shadows, clutching my crossbow. The sun is rising and the night crickets are finally beginning to leave. I set down my crossbow and look at my surroundings.

The willow tree hangs right over me; its branches bending over so it can hide me from sight.

My mother and father were betrayed by a fellow 'rebel', and were killed by the Capitol. I was sent to an orphanage, but the owner abused me. So I ran away into the woods, and thats where I am now.

Not a lot of people know that I'm alive. Not a lot of people know that I exist.

Only the Capitol, a few townspeople who I've learned to trust, and the mayor know that I still stand on planet Earth.

Oh, the mayor...he's been one of the main reasons I've survived. Ever since I was 10, ever since my life changed forever, he has been supplying me with some food and supplies. He was originally from District 12, so he knows what its like to starve.

Despite the fact he's always been helping me, its not enough. I've still got to sign up for tesserae each year.

This year, the amount of tesserae I've been taking will finally begin to hit me. My name will be entered in that Reaping bowl for I don't know how many times. Its quite possible I will be Reaped.

But I'd like to say that I'm prepared. Everyday, my goal is to survive the day. If I live, I congratulate myself for living yet another day.

Because of this, I've gotten used to survival. I know how to find water. I'm good at knowing which plants are edible and which plants aren't. And if there isn't a crossbow supplied in the arena, I can always make one.

Which brings me to a problem. Supplies in the arena.

Hooray - the year the Hunger Games was revived just _had _to be a Quarter Quell. This year, there's only one weapon, one backpack, and one supply of food and water supplied from the Cornucopia.

So I expect some very violent deaths in the bloodbath.

I eat what could possibly be my very last meal here in District 10. I chew through my mushy tesserae slowly, finding it very hard to swallow.

The Reaping siren rings, and I hastily force myself to swallow the last bits of tesserae. I'm coughing loudly as I hide my crossbow with some ferns and head towards the town square.

After the Peacekeepers draw some blood, I make my way towards the rest of the fifteen-year-olds.

There is a big stage set up, and a Capitol lady (you can tell she's from the Capitol with her shockingly pink hair and ruby red lips) taps the microphone and introduces herself as Tia Pauli.

"Ladies first!" Tia trills before strutting over to the girl's Reaping ball. I feel myself crossing my fingers, hoping that its not me...that its not me...

"Aoife Strongbow," Tia says slowly so she can pronounce right, but with her Capitol accent she makes it sound all wonky. I can see the mayor sitting on the stage, trying his best to keep himself from showing a face of disappointment. I think he's grown a liking to me. But its too late now.

When I reach the stage, I firmly shake Tia's hand. Its best if I just don't show any feelings. Tia then struts over to the boy's Reaping bowl, picks a piece of paper, and says, "Kurt Morein."

I can't believe it. Kurt Morein - the mayor's son? I haven't really talked face-to-face to him that much, but I suppose you could call us 'good friends'.

I can see the color drain from his face as he heads over, the one and only fancy suit he has starting to wrinkle.

"I present to you the District 10 tributes of the 100th Hunger Games!" Tia trills. She tells us to shake hands and I just have a second to look at his hazel eyes that are exactly like his father's.

After this, we're roughly lead to the Justice Building with Peacekeepers guarding our backs. I just manage to steal a look behind me to see the mayor pressing three fingers to his forehead and then pointing those same fingers toward me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Almost done with the Reapings! Have you voted on your favorite tribute yet? Just go to my profile page, and right under my username you should see this additional bar with the words, "Who's your favorite tribute so far?" and right next to it, "Vote Here!" Click on "Vote Here!" and YOU get to vote for your favorite tribute. Personally, I'd think if it would be best if you vote later on, once the actual Games/interviews/training score stuff begins.**

**And this is to Poke Crystals...**

**Thanks for letting me know that the 3 finger salute is only exclusively for District 12, so I changed Aoife's reaping a bit so she states that the mayor was originally from District 12.**

_Jay Reeds (FD12)_

I lay splayed out in the Meadow, my hand gently picking off the petals of a daisy. The mockingjays flutter over and start singing, and I sigh as I listen to their beautiful tune.

Its always peaceful in the Meadow. I know this because I live here. All of my family are dead. My father left us when I was 2 and disappeared. My mother died a few years later because of heartbreak. My brother went crazy and decided to drink away his pain. He's dead now.

There are still ashes lying upon the fields here. Ashes from the bombing of District 12, which happened during the Second Dark Days.

I still come across some skulls when night falls and I hide in the forest.

I'm not supposed to be here in the Meadow. The Peacekeepers will come and catch me if they find out I do. But there's no where else to go - if you don't count the orphanage down the street. But I've heard the people there are horrible.

And I've had enough trouble in my life, so I thought that this was best. I may only be 13, but I can be useful if I am Reaped for the Hunger Games.

Living in the forest has brought me the skills of knowing which plants are edible and which plants aren't. I'm also very fast, which means I'll likely survive in the bloodbath.

I don't see no use to risk your life to get supplies in the Cornucopia - especially since there's going to be a limited amount this year. I'd rather just find the stuff I need to survive...even if it includes stealing

Especially if it includes stealing.

The sun's high in the sky when the Reaping siren rings throughout the district. I heave myself up, and to a little curtsy to my mockingjay friends.

Hopefully they will make it to the Capitol with me - because I know I am going. Its just this hunch I have.

I stand in the crowd, staring intently up at Lila Zuckerman, our tribute escort. She shrieks, "May the odds be ever in your favor!" into the microphone before skipping towards the girl's Reaping bowl.

Her heavily painted nails clank the edge of the Reaping bowl, searching for the one piece of paper that will determine one girl's fate in this district.

"Jay Reeds."

I knew it. My hunches are never wrong. But I might as well give the Capitol a good show.

I trot over to the stage, putting on the biggest smile ever, eagerly shaking Lila's hand.

I peer into the crowds as Lila struts over to the boy's Reaping bowl. Which boy will accompany me to the dreaded Hunger Games? Will it be a nerdy boy? A strong boy? An annoying boy?

"Ash Birchwood."

I frown. This boy isn't anything I just thought. He just seems shy and..._nice. _Not some good character traits for the Games.

When Lila tells us to shake hands, I look into his eyes. I see fear.

Oh well. What a shame. He shouldn't be afraid when he should KNOW that he's most likely going to die out there. There are others...stronger, quicker, smarter than him. Not to mention the Careers...despite the fact that they might not have enough weapons, surely one of them knows how to make one...

I wish good luck to him.

_Elana Trotyle (FD7)_

I chisel the last flower onto the arm. Finally! Done! I stand back and admire the chair I just finished. It's one of my best - from a tall redwood my brother especially picked out for furniture making, it's wood is sturdy but not super hard, and it's color is pleasing. I can just imagine it with a plump red seat and a beautifully embroidered pillow...

I sigh. Like all of my pieces, it shall go to some wealthy person in one of the rich distrits. How they take credit on our good work, barely doing anything themselves! How they -

I immediately walk out the door to the woods. The woods make me happy, calm me. I often in them. Hunting, although technically illegal, is so hard to resist with the squirrels and deer all over the place. I walk up to an oak in which I had set one of my snares in and grab a vine. Mindlessly tying it around my waist, grabbing another vine, and using it to walk up the tree to some branches.

I then smile. This is the fun part. After ripping the vine off of my waist, I bound up into the branches. I find a snare I had set in a buch of leaves, along with my sling. The snare has a squirrel in it. I grab the squirrel and the slingshot in my teeth and leap to the branches of the nearest tree. This goes on for a while, the joyful swinging, landing, climbing, grabbing, resetting, and then swinging again. I get a bunch of birds and squirrels, but I need something bigger. I sit in the tree I stopped in for a while before I see a deer. I load a pinecone from the pine I am in into my slingshot and twirl it. Once it becomes a blur, I look, aim, and stop swinging, sending the pinecone into the deer's head.

I jump down from the tree with my game and slingshot and inspect the deer. Dead? No, just knocked out. I take out my knife and cut it's throat, and then smile. After tiredly carrying it to my house, I slouch in a chair the moment before the Reaping sien sounds.

I drag myself out of the chair and walk to the Town Square, taking a place in the front. Soon others file in, bringing the chatter with them. The tribute escort, Zane Duckerson, smiles at us, and heads over to the boy's bowl first, which is something odd. Usually it is the girl's first. He swirls the papers in the bowl around and plucks a slip out.

"Guy Seville."

Oh, him? He's only one year older than me, 14. But he needs so many more tesserae for his family than I do, his chances must be so high.

Zane then walks over to the girl's bowl. He plunges his hand down deep into the bowl and picks out a slip. Unfolding it, he reads, "Elana Trotyle."

Time seems to stop. No, it can't be me! Sure, I'd gotten three tesserae, adding to my two slips for being 13, but thats only five! In thousands! What about that girl over there with her 42 slips?! And if I die in the game, what will I my family do for food? I'm the only one who hunts, and although they can sell things and buy food, soon they will run out!

"Elana Trotyle?"

I stiffly walk towards the stage. The Hunger Games aren't fair.


	5. Chapter 5

**Two more Reapings left - and then its on to the chariot rides.**

_Crystal Lumen (FD6)_

I walk out of my house, refreshed from what I call 'training'. I want to be prepared for the Hunger Games, and making fake dummies and then destroying it is part of the preparation.

"Ooh yeah sexy baby alert!" I turn around and sigh. The usual perverts that stalk my house are here today, waiting to see if maybe we can go into a random place and hook up. I stick my tongue out at them.

One of them calls, "Come over to my house tonight!"

"Oh yeah, definitely," I reply sarcastically, shaking my head. I travel over to the town's blacksmith and admire the spears and knives he gets from District 2. His job is to check these weapons and put them on a train that will go to the Capitol.

District 6's specialty is transportation. We supply the trains that bring the tributes to the Capitol.

"Hey, Chris." I turn around and smile. The blacksmith, Roger, comes out of his little shop. He's one of my close friends. He has never called me by my 'girly name', as I call it, but instead calls me by my cool boy nickname - Chris.

"Hey, Roger." He's only a few years older than me, and I know that last year was his last Reaping. How lucky he was to not be Reaped when today there is a chance I will myself.

"Do you think you have a good chance?" Roger asks.

I look up and frown. "Chance in what, Roger?"

Roger shrugs, looking down at the floor. "You know...getting Reaped?"

I put on a smile. "I think anything is possible."

Roger frowns at me. "You really think that?"

I nod. "Yeah. I do."

I head home after Roger and I have a little conversation and I stare at my family. My mother, Marigold, my father, Barley, my sister Raisin, and my other sister, Pitalla. I would do anything to save my family..even if it means volunteering to take my sisters' place in the Hunger Games.

I put on a nice, fuchsia dress my mother picked out for me and stare at myself in the mirror. If I am Reaped, I can only hope that I don't go in with one of those perverts. If that happens, the Hunger Games will be worse.

My sisters and I cling to each other while we sit on my bed. They're worried about me. I'm worried about myself...

As the Reaping siren rings, I reluctantly wrench myself away from my sisters. I tell them I'll be fine, that it won't happen.

When I go stand with the other 14 year olds, I realize that when I was reassuring my sisters, I was also reassuring myself, too.

My fingers clench the sides of my dress as Naomi Winer walks over to the girl's Reaping ball. The girls beside hold their breath as Naomi picks out one slip of paper.

"Crystal Lumen."

I stare at Naomi and walk slowly up the stage. I whip my head back and see my family clutching each other, their expressions sad.

I can hear the faint yells and cheers from my fellow perverts.

Naomi smiles at me. "Nice to meet you Crystal Lumen."

I grab the microphone. "Its Chris."

Which just makes the perverts cheer even louder. Apparently Naomi thinks that they are supporting the Hunger Games, so she does a little curtsy.

"Now, now there. I know you're _all _so excited, but we mustn't waste any time. On to the boy's Reaping, then."

I cross my fingers behind my back, praying that its not one of the perverts.

"Slade Griffith." I almost scream when I see one of the perverts remove himself from his pack, smiling crazily as he walks up the steps of the stage.

When he shakes my hand, I stare into his familiar pure black eyes that I see poking around at my bedroom window every morning.

The Hunger Games is going to be hell.

_Violet Flores (FD9)_

I stare outside of my window.

Roman Bronicki is just so _dreamy. _I could stare at him all day.

As he digs his shovel into the dirt, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I jump back and stare at my best friend Eddie.

"Spying on little Roman again?" he teases. I can feel the heat rising on my cheeks.

"No," I object, pushing his hand away as he reaches to brush away some hair thats fallen onto my face.

Eddie smiles goofily. "I know you were staring at him. C'mon, just admit it. Its not that embarrassing."

"Its embarrassing, and you know it!" I attempt to punch him in the gut but, using his natural fighting skills, he blocks me.

After both of our parents died from a wild fire, Eddie was the one who took care of me. Well, correction: We take care of each other.

"So what if I do?" Eddie whispers once he's pinned me down onto the house floor. "Does that change anything?"

His golden bangs tickle my nose, and I sneeze into his face.

"Eww - gross!" Eddie rips off a nearby tissue and wipes off all the disgusting stuff on his face.

"Anyways...happy Hunger Games!"

I smile back at him. Oh, yes, the wonderful Reaping. Both of us being 14, we're eligible to compete in the Hunger Games.

Not as though that is a good thing. The Hunger Games is a death sentence.

"Wouldn't it be funny if we were both Reaped?" Eddie jokes as he throws away the tissue. "Then we could pull off the 'star-crossed lovers' thing they did 26 years ago."

"Eddie," I laugh at him. "Though I wouldn't mind pulling off a star-crossed lovers act with Roman. But at that time...it wouldn't be a showmance. It would real love."

Eddie frowns as the happiness disappears from his face. "Roman..." he breathes. The Reaping siren wails throughout our district. I stare at Eddie.

"Good luck," he grunts, slamming the back door. I see Roman set down his shovel and head towards town square. I squeal with happiness and carefully stalk him.

His bronze-colored hair, his beautiful blue eyes...mhm mhm _mhm! _Definitely one of the boys _I _would personally want to date.

I stare at Roman during the whole entire Reaping, imagining his lips on mine as we dance in the moonlight...

I'm so distracted I miss the tribute escort calling my name.

"Violet Flores? Are you here?" I snap out of RomanDreamLand and walk up the stage.

My legs aren't working. They seem to want to go up on that stage, but my head wants to stay here in District 9. But I know its not going to happen. I have been Reaped. My life will never be the same. Unless...

"Roman Bronicki."

Yes! I feel like pumping my fists up in the air, but then I would just look weird - especially since the Capitol is watching this live.

"District Nine - I give you Violet Flores and Roman Bronicki!" I exhale as his hands grasp mine. They feel just like I imagined - rough and strong, but also safe.

Showmance, are you hear, my friend?

Because its time you do your magic on me and Roman.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm doing random chariot rides and random interviews by pulling out the tributes' names out of a hat. Sorry if your tribute wasn't chosen! I just want to get to the Games quickly. Also, you'll find that it was just a coincidence I picked tributes from District 4, 5, and 6 for the chariot rides.**_  
_

_Victoria Cristo (FD4)_

I stare at myself in the mirror with satisfaction. Thank goodness my stylist wasn't a dummy. He immediately saw that I was a true beauty, so he dawned me in a blue dress with a low V that is just a teensy bit too revealing.

Whatever. But that's not all. If he presses this button on the dress, seaweed appears on the bottom, glowing brightly. It makes me look like the sea.

Tiger is wearing almost the exact same thing, except he is in a suit. Ha. Tiger in a revealing dress. I would pay anything to see _that. _

The District 1 guys are showered in sparkly silver dust. A jewel-encrusted cape goes along with the dust. Nice. Nudeness and gemnified cape - catchy.

As the District 2 tributes pull out, my stylist, Erik Fanser, tells me that its time we hop on to our chariot. I glance to my left and see Tiger nervously gripping the edges of the seat. I frown. Thats not like Tiger. He's usually cocky, arrogant, loquacious...the _opposite _of nervous!

Too late to contemplate on this. We're already pulling out, the blinding lights of the City Circle greeting us.

"DISTRICT 4!" I smile and wave at almost every person I can see. I swear that almost every male in the audience takes a moment to stare at my cleavage.

Several roses are in my lap by the time the chariot stops in front of President Paylor. I pick one up and take a deep sniff.

Lovely.

Just lovely.

_Voltaic Nosa (MD5)_

Oh, the chariot rides. The stupidest part of the Games.

Well, not really the stupidest part. It does have a purpose: To win you sponsors. Sponsors will supply you with the things you need - whether its weapons, medicine, food, water...

Sponsors are very important in this year's Games, when there is a limited number of supplies.

But what's the point of having the chariot rides and gaining sponsors when half of the stylists are like trash? I don't even think they _deserve _the title of 'stylist'.

With all these trash costumes, like my weird neon yellow toga thing, these stylists are worthless.

But whatever. There will be other opportunities for me to win sponsors.

I refuse to look at Jaci as our chariot pulls out. She doesn't bother me, I don't bother her. Fine. We both have one goal here - to survive and win the Games.

No time to start frolicking around with your district partner who you have most likely just met. Because what if there comes a time when you have to make the sacrifice and kill your own district partner?

What's more important to you - your life, or your new 'friend'.

To me, its definitely my life. I'll make a few alliances in the Games with people that have my weaknesses as their strengths, and vice versa.

I'm leaning towards allying up with that District 8 girl. What's her name...Glace? Heard she's good and strength and camouflage, but is not so good at swimming. I'm an expert at swimming. I could help her with that. I believe we could work as a team. A good team, in fact.

I don't care if she's 12. We can push away our differences for our lives. I'll see if I can manage to talk to her tomorrow.

When training begins.

_Crystal Lumen (FD6)_

"Wow."

I tug down my skimpy little dress that is silver. It is supposed to represent the fast, silver trains that brought us here but I'm not exactly sure I see what my stylist had in mine.

But apparently its hot for Slade Griffith. Of course - _everything _about me is hot for Slade. He's in a simple silver suit that is acts as a mirror, so I can actually see my reflection.

I guess I could be 'hot'. The short strapless number I'm wearing does show off a little bit more skin that I'm used to, but I guess its okay.

I feel like remarking, "Shut up and stop staring," to Slade, but I just can't work up the courage to do it. He's most likely going to die. I'm most likely going to die.

Everyone, except for one person, is going to die. There is no time to tease and abuse each other. Its time we start thinking strategy and relishing our possibly last few days in this world.

As we hop on to the chariots, I see my stylist, Ryan Poplar, yelling at us from below. But with all the music booming and the crowds cheering, I can't hear him.

"What does he want," I murmur under my breath to Slade. He turns to look at me and my heart bursts with annoyance once again as I look into those pitch black eyes.

"I think he wants us to hold hands." He grasps my hand and we both look down at Ryan. He gives us a thumbs up and smiles as the horses pulling our chariot start trotting.

My face seems to be frozen as we are introduced to the Capitol once again, now beautified in 'magnificent' *cough cough* costumes.

"DISTRICT 6!" I find myself looking at the District 1, 2, and 4 chariots. They look stunning - from the sparkling silver dust to the revealing blue dress.

One of them is going to win the Games. I'm 99% sure.

"Smile." Slade yanks me out of my thoughts and I wrench my gaze away from the Careers. Taking a deep, reluctant breath I put on the most brilliant smile I can pull off and I start waving. The crowd cheers and screams, showering us in roses

When the chariot finally stops I know I can't stop too. I must wait until President Paylor gives her speech and we are sent away.

I feel Slade's gaze burning into the side of my head and I turn to look at him. His pitch black eyes are carelessly flicking over my body, observing every inch.

"What do you want?" I snarl quietly as District 10 enters. What right does he have to stare at my body hungrily?

"Nothing." Slade whispers, his gaze looking away.

No matter how much I want to look away, too, to forget about Slade, to forget those observant, pitch black eyes peering through my bedroom window, I can't.

When life gives you a memory, you must remember it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Interviews! Once again, these names were chosen by random...**

_Tara Gore (FD1)_

I smile brightly at Caesar Flickerman, smoothing down my flowing white dress.

"So, Tara," Caesar says, leaning towards me. "What do you think of the Games?"

"Definitely exciting and full of action!" I reply, twirling around my hair. "You know, the whole purpose of this is to get that crown...don't you think it will look good on my head?"

Right then, I pull from behind me a sparkling, golden crown that is an exact replica of the ones the victors of the Hunger Games wear. Smoothing my hair back, I gently place it on top of my head.

There are some oos and ahs as the crown reflects the light shooting down on us, making it glow and shine.

"Tara Gore, District 1!" The crowd cheers as I grasp Caesar's hand and lift it up into the air.

Next time I see Caesar, I won't be wearing a replica.

I'll be wearing the real one.

_Zeena Garcia (FD3)_

I fidget around in my chair as I watch the District 1 girl's interview. She's full of spunk and isn't afraid to show that she wants that crown. But I hope I'll get there first as long as...ugh. *shudder* _Glitch._

Yes, I know Glitch Pierce. He is my insolent, intolerant, stupid, disgusting, district partner and childhood enemy. He's always been picking on me, teasing me, bullying me...I can only hope that it will be my hand that ends his useless life.

But, in a way, I don't want that. I don't want my hand clutching a sword, repeatedly stabbing Glitch's back. I would be no better than a Career.

When I am called onto the stage, I fix my gaze onto Caesar's.

"Caesar," I say, loud and clear. "The whole entire time I've been waiting to come on here, my thoughts have been on my district partner, Glitch. I originally was thinking of maybe, you know, grabbing a sword and stabbing him in the back. Just to end his life, since he hasn't been that nice to me. But then, I realize I would be no better than a Career."

I turn my gaze and stare at the audience. "I am no Career. I am Zeena Garcia."

When my interview is done, I catch Glitch staring at me as he walks up the stage. I quickly run to my room and slam the door, letting out one strangled, terrified sob.

_Tiger Moor (MD4)_

I can't stop staring at her.

Jay. Her luscious hair that falls down to her shoulders, her scent that smells of earth and berries. She smells like life. I watch her hungrily as she flashes in her midnight black dress. Though she may not look like it, she is pure sexiness. She is the one.

But am I the one to her? I don't know.

During my whole entire interview I don't talk, focus, or whatever. My mind is far away, somewhere else, where Jay and I are floating together in unison.

Finally, Caesar asks me a question that manages to spark into my mind. I look up, my eyes sliding into focus.

"Is there any one girl that you find yourself so infatuated with, you can't live without her?"

Staring into Caesar's eyes, I know that I must tell the truth.

"Yes."

And that is that.

_Elana Trotyle (FD7)_

I stare around at the wide, open space. No. No. Not this. Why? Why an open space? Why not host the interview in an...I don't know, a luxury broom closet?

My ears seem to not work. I can see Caesar's lips moving, but I can't hear the words. I can only think about this wide, open space with everybody staring up at me.

I feel myself double over. That is when Caesar knows that something is wrong. He walks up to me and murmurs something. I fall to the ground, and feel the world gradually getting darker.

My eyes stretch open, adjusting to the light. I look around and see myself lying on my bed. My stylist is staring down at me, his eyes filled with worry.

"What happened?" I croak. Thank god I can hear. My stylist's expression is grim. "You...er...you fainted. So yeah. Your interview's over now."

"Oh." I feel relief flooding into me. "Oh."

I'm not to worried about my interview. Who cares about getting sponsors? Certainly I don't. Because I've got a plan.

_Jay Reeds (FD12)_

"So, Jay, what is your plan for the Games, especially since there are limited supplies this year?" I stare into Caesar Flickerman's eyes.

"Well, Caesar," I flash him a cheeky smile. "I can't exactly you tell you that. Its top secret." With that, I lift up my index finger to my lips.

The crowd loves it. They're cheering and screaming as Caesar booms, "Jay Reeds, District 12!"

As I'm walking towards the shower in my bedroom, I am suddenly thrown onto the wall. The impact is so strong that I blackout for a few seconds before I return to consciousness.

Tiger Moor is staring down at me.

"What do you want?" I snarl through gritted teeth. Tiger doesn't reply, instead he leans close to me and presses his lips to mine.

I am so overwhelmed and shocked that I don't try to escape. When Tiger finally releases, he smiles.

"I had to." he whispers, exiting my room. "I'm not sorry."

The door slams.


	8. Chapter 8

**Aargh, I know that you want it to be the Games, but instead its the training/alliance-making and training scores! Next chapter is most likely the Games, keep your fingers crossed!**

**Remember to vote on the poll on my profile! Thanks!**

_Bryan Kessler (MD1)_

My hands move the huge mace around with ease. I'm trying to get used to every single weapon I see, and so far my plan is improving. I'm pretty sure I'm going to win the Hunger Games, along with my alliance's help.

My alliance? The Careers, duh. That'll be Tara, the two District 2 peeps, and Victoria. I'm not sure why Tiger isn't joining, but whatever. That kid looks a little shady anyways.

I'm not at all worried that there are limited supplies this year. Mackenzie and Max, coming from District 2, which specializes in masonry, know how to make weapons. Tara is great at edible plants. Victoria knows how to fish.

So we're in good shape. Great shape, I should say.

At lunch today Mackenzie (Kenzie for short) suggested to perhaps, you know, maybe ask other people to join our alliance. To make it stronger.

I'm totally on board with the idea. The more advantages we have, the better.

_Elana Trotyle (FD7)_

I nervously approach Jay Reeds at the edible plants section. We haven't talked at all that much, but I still think that we would be great alliances. We're both used to the wilderness, and I cover for her weaknesses, while she covers for mine.

"Hey." I say, scanning a beautiful dandelion. I tell the trainer that its edible.

Jay turns her head and stares at me for a few seconds. "Hi," she then replies carefully.

When the trainer tells me that its wrong, I frown. "Its a sowthistle," Jay whispers. "Looks like a dandelion, but really isn't. Its extremely poisonous."

"Oh." I reply, shocked. If that was in the Hunger Games, I would be dead by now. Jay wouldn't be.

After a few more minutes of silence, I have to break it. "Do you want to be in an alliance?"

Jay stares at me once more. "Sure." she says.

I feel hope blossoming inside me. Maybe I do have a chance at this.

_Violet Flores (FD9)_

I smile at Roman and bat my eyelashes. I asked him about alliances a couple of days ago, and he said yes! Right now we're planning on adding in Chris from Six and Slade, Chris's district partner.

"So, yeah," Roman says, distracted for a moment by me. "Anyways, agree with our alliance plan?"

When Chris says yes, Slade immediately follows her. I frown, but then shake it off. This team is going to be superb!

_Aoife Strongbow (FD10)_

I sit perched on the railings on the ceiling. I stare down at my fellow tributes training, the Careers destroying dummy after dummy, the weaker tributes trembling as they clutch their first knife...all of them seem worthless to me.

But there is on tribute who has caught my eye.

Voltaic. He's strong, determined...just like me. We both want to win this thing and go home. I'm sure he's done some training before reaching here, just like me.

Just as the last head lands in the ground in front of Voltaic, I swing down from the ceiling and land lightly on the ground. He stares at me. I hold out my hand.

"Hi, my name is Aoife. I believe that you and I would be a great team. Allies?" I can see the hesitation calculating in his eyes, but in the end, he takes my hand and shakes it.

"Listen, I think we should recruit Glace and Grey from Eight," Voltaic points at the two district partners, both discussing something quietly at the knot-tying station. "I can cover their weaknesses, and they can cover ours."

I beam at him. "Great. Let's do it, then!"

_President Paylor (The Capitol)_

I twirl my long, bony fingers around my briefcase, staring at my television screen mounted high in the wall.

Its time for the training scores. As the first face flashes on - Tara Gore, of District One, her score follows it.

A nine. Perfect. The rest of the Careers get from 8-10, while Victoria Cristo from Four scored an _11. _She probably infatuated some Gamemakers._  
_

The District 3 tributes both score sevens, which is very high for tributes coming from the lesser districts. Districts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 all manage 5-7. A little girl called Cher Elgan pulls off an eleven. I can only wonder what she presented to the Gamemakers.

Jay Reeds gets an eleven, also. To me, it seems like most of the littlest tributes are the ones that are deadly in these Games.

The Games...there's a spark on my mind that is nudging at my brain, trying for me to remember something. But its too late, I've forgotten.

"President Paylor? Are you all right?" I turn my head to see my faithful assistant, Edith Waters, walking towards me.

"I'm...I'm all right," I reply, my voice way off.

As Edith Waters walked away, clutching her clipboard, she was only thinking about President Paylor's next hijacking appointment that was very much needed.

Because the rumors were true.

President Paylor was getting better.


	9. Chapter 9

**ITS THE GAMES!**

**Remember to vote!**

_Violet Flores (FD9)_

I stare down at my outfit. I'm wearing some sweatpants, a thin, black fleece jacket, a blue blouse, and some sneakers that have material jutting out on the bottom.

"The shoes are good for hiking, running...basically anything outdoors," My stylist tells me as he escorts me to the Launch Room. There I am placed in the tube and I watch as glass surrounds me.

Panic suddenly rises in my chest, and my thoughts go to Eddie. Eddie, my guardian, who will be watching this, as the Games viewing is mandatory.

Eddie, my best friend, who I left behind.

As the tube rises up and I see the first glimpses of the arena, I can almost hear Eddie in my head, "_You can do it."_

To my left is a forest. To my right are several beaches leading up to what seems like a candy mountain. Beyond the forest there is what I think is a meadow. I I lift my nose and smell the fresh air. It smells like paradise.

Apparently it does to the other tributes, too. I look to my right and see Cher from Eleven. To my left, Max from Two.

Roman is three spaces down to my right. Chris is right next to him. I can't see Slade, so he must be behind the Cornucopia.

Staring straight ahead, I look at the cubic, silver Cornucopia. Usually, I've been told, its filled with supplies.

But right now, as I peer straight ahead, I see a large, tan backpack right next to a long, black, cylindrical thing that must be the weapon. Lying to the left of the cylinder is, as promised, one food supply, and one water supply. On the outskirts of the Cornucopia there are rocks and sticks. I am pretty sure those are meant to be used for making weapons.

_Five. _

Anxiety rises in my chest, and I look at Roman. He's gesturing towards the forest, where he wants to run towards the meadow. He thinks that we will thrive there.

_Four._

I nod back to him and motion him to alert Chris and Slade.

_Three._

He nods back at me.

_Two._

My fingers are tingling with...anxiety? Excitement? Horror?

_One._

The cannon that signifies the beginning of the Hunger Games booms loud and clear, and I'm off.

_Max Holter (MD2)_

I sprint towards the Cornucopia, aiming for the black cylinder. I know that is a weapon supplier - I've seen some masons back in my district talking about it. It gives you unlimited, random weapons. As far as I know, you can get a stick out of it.

Suddenly, I'm shoved to the ground. My vision is blurry for a few seconds, but I make out the figure of District 5 female - Jaci, I think her name is. She was silent the whole entire pre-games. I wonder what her plan is.

She's got a rock in her hand. A huge rock. She's bringing it down when suddenly, her weight is lifted off of me. I see the District 11 male lifting Jaci and clasping her neck, cutting off her air system.

I stare in horror as Jaci lets out a few strangled sounds - one of them I think is actually _please. _I quickly get to my feet and start running once more. Thank goodness - the weapon supplier is still on the ground. I reach for it eagerly and pop open the cap on the top. Out on my feet falls several knives and spears.

"Bryan!" I yell over the hysteria, pointing to the weapons. He smiles at me and I chuck a spear at him. He catches it lightly and proceeds to hunt the next few tributes.

Victoria and Kenzie are guarding the food, water, and backpack. A blur runs through, whipping up the air around me.

It takes me a few moments to adjust to this speed. I blink and see Cher Elgan neatly slide underneath Victoria's legs, grab the backpack, and start sprinting away.

"Get her!" I scream at Bryan. He nods, and I see Tara from One lunging at the male tribute from Seven, who is attempting to flee. I raise one of the swords that fell out of the supplier and I yell,

"For the Capitol!"

_Ash Birchwood (MD12)_

I head towards the Cornucopia, wondering if maybe I could snatch something.

But its too late. I feel the metal rip through my chest before I see it. Above me stands Bryan Kessler, his teeth glistening with saliva. He wrenches out his spear and I feel my head slam onto the ground. Darkness clouds my vision and I let go of my last breath.

_Jules Zinn (MD11)_

I release the District 5 female from my grasp and watch as she falls to the ground. I feel a smile of satisfaction creep onto my face. I might have just made the very first kill.

Its too late to relish this moment. I'm yanked back by someone and I feel a scythe slash my skull. As I fall backwards, foam bubbling at my lips, I catch the sight of Mackenzie Doom cackling loudly.

_Mackenzie Doom (FD2)_

I back away from the District 11 male, cackling with glee. But then, I immediately stop. What am I doing?

I am not that kind of Career. I'm not like Victoria, or Bryan, or Max, or Tara. I am just an innocent girl Reaped into the 100th Hunger Games.

I want to be with my family. Not here...not stuck in this weird arena.

"C'mon, Kenzie! What are you waiting for?" I turn my head around and see Max standing there, clutching what seems like a million weapons.

I force a smile on my face. "Nothing," I reply. "I'm not waiting for anything."

_Grey Falkner (MD8)_

The wind whips up my hair as I dash towards the forest. I need to flee the Cornucopia - no matter how tempting the weapon, backpack, food and water supply may be...

But I'm too slow. She already got there.

Tara Gore, with her wide smile and fiery red hair that makes her shine like the sun. She makes me stop in my tracks, makes me stare at her, wondering if she is human...if _I _am human.

"Come on, Grey," she whispers with her soft, gentle voice that flies through the air like a dandelion seed. "What are you waiting for?"

Right when I'm about to reply, I hear the thud. I look behind me and see the knife sticking out of my back, the blood seeping through my blue T-shirt. I fall to my knees, looking up at Tara, taking in all her beauty for one last second...

The darkness conceives me before I can whisper my last words.

_Guy Seville (MD7)_

I fly like a bird as I run towards the beach. Next to me is Kurt from Ten, who is my ally. We've agreed on heading towards the beach, where we think we'll find life on the candy mountain. Kurt figures that there will be fish in the beautiful, bright sea.

I hear the first scream when we're a few yards away. Kurt hits the ground, blood pooling out of his neck. Glitch from Three is right above him with an axe raised.

How did he get a weapon?

I'll never known. The last thing I see before my life string is cut is the beautiful sky with a few clouds, telling me that I almost made it to the sea.


	10. Chapter 10

**Remember to vote, everyone! :D**

_Elana Trotyle (FD7)_

My panting slowly turns into heavy breathing. Jay and I sprinted away from the Cornucopia and into the forest. On the floor near the Cornucopia, Jay found a water bottle.

That turned out to be empty.

_Empty. _Really? I feel like raising my head and yelling at the sky. I know the Gamemakers will hear me.

So will the rest of Panem. It has been several hours since we've been running, and I'm exhausted. Jay hasn't broken one drop of sweat yet. My throat is on fire; it thirsts for some water to quench the blaze.

But at least we're alive. Of course, I hope I just didn't jinx that.

_Thud. _I fall to the ground as I clutch my stomach, yanking out the knife that so carefully pierced it. The knife clatters on the ground. Jay kneels beside me, her hand over my wound that is seeping blood, her head turned towards the direction from where the knife came.

"Why so worried, my dear Jay?" Tiger slips out from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with excitement. In his hand he clutches five knives. I wonder where he got them.

I grit my teeth as pain shoots through me. Jay stares coldly at Tiger. "Why. Are. You. Doing. This. To. Me!" she snarls through clenched teeth.

Tiger lets out a malicious laugh. "Why, I thought I had made it clear. Extremely clear. I love you."

Wow. Well, thats a surprise. But there's not enough time to be shocked by that. Right now I have to concentrate on surviving.

"But I don't love _you." _Jay replies fiercely. "So please - just leave us alone."

"I've let go of my lovers before," Tiger says, his lip curling. "I don't want to lose you."

Jay takes her hand away from my wound. I wince when I see how red it is. "I can see why some of your former girlfriends dumped you." she says, standing up bravely, unarmed. "Because you're a jerk!"

And, without warning, Tiger reaches over to Jay and heaves her up, comfortably putting her on his shoulder. She's screaming frantically - biting, hissing, snarling, kicking...trying to get free.

And I can't do anything about it, because my vision is turning fuzzy and I'm afraid I can't walk anymore. Tiger laughs and turns to look at me.

"Enjoy the afterlife, dahling," he whispers.

Everything goes black.

_Voltaic Nosa (MD5)_

Aoife, Glace, and I are scaling the candy mountain when the hallucinations begin.

It first starts with me feeling a sudden burst of anger. Raising the long stick I collected, I aim it at Aoife's eye, attempting to puncture it.

Her hands let go of her own stick and her hands fly up. "What are you doing?" she snarls aggressively.

At first, I don't know. I just growl at her and raise the stick even higher.

But thats when I collapse, and the hallucinations begin for Aoife, and then Glace.

We're laying on the ground for a couple of minutes, still, before we start fidgeting and taring at each other. My teeth hunt for human flesh, nipping at both Aoife and Glace's eyelid, ear, and shoulder. Glace rips at my arm. Aoife decides to feast on my leg.

After that, everything turns upside down. Aoife's eyes are bloodshot red and are staring at me with pure hatred.

When the hallucinations finally stop, we're all mangled and bloody, several of our body parts missing.

I sit there, clutching the food and water supply we so quickly snatched, listening to the cannons fire. I didn't expect the Hunger Games to end this way.

_Crystal Lumen (FD6)_

I'm hiking through the meadow with sweat pouring down my face.

Roman, Slade, Violet, and me made it through the bloodbath. Its been a few hours, and we've finally reached the meadow. Roman reckons he can find some grain here to make into bread, and so does Violet.

I have no objection - since we didn't escape with the food or water supply, we're all famished and parched.

As Roman and Violet set to work, the cannons begin to ring. I listen closely to hear just how many tributes died during the bloodbath.

_Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom._

Eight rings. Eight tributes dead. Eighteen tributes left to play.

I lay out splayed on the grass, feeling my stomach growl with hunger.

_Thump. _I look to my right and see Slade lying next to me, his eyes closed. He looks peaceful. Almost too...peaceful, for a guy like him. I know his personality. I do know it.

...or do I?

A few hours later I hear three more cannons. I can only wonder who they belong to.

Then the screaming starts. Slade's eyes fly open and I look up to see Roman and Violet getting violently stabbed by one of the Careers.

I think its the District One male. Slade reaches for my hand and we start sprinting, no matter how hungry or thirsty we are.

Roman and Violet's cannons fire and I can feel the tears start streaming down my face.

At least they're together.


	11. Chapter 11

**Today's POV's are all girls! Also Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Whateveryoucelebrate!**_  
_

_Victoria Cristo (FD4)_

A tinkling chime rings throughout the beach as Tara, Bryan, Kenzie, Max, and I hike. We look up to see our first parachute. I pump my fist up in the air, excited to see what our sponsors got us.

Kenzie carefully tares open the package and inside is a button along with yet another parachute. I stare at the button.

"There's a message," Kenzie says, removing a scrap of paper. "Fill this with the poisonous caviar growing next to you, place it in the parachute, and press the button to send to your enemies." she reads.

All of our heads turn towards a black fungi growing on the edges of the beach. "Its the Death," I whisper. "Its famous in District Four. It was just invented, just for the Hunger Games."

Bryan cackles. "I think I know who to send it to." He fills the Death into the parachute and presses the button. A screen appears, asking for him to say out loud the tribute's name.

"Tiger Moor." he says, loud and clear.

We watch as the parachute flies away. I can't wait for the cannon - I want Tiger dead.

_Cher Elgan (FD11)_

I lay down on the hard ground, munching on some bread. After I snatched the backpack, I found a huge wheat field behind the Cornucopia. There were several bread bushes and berries here, and I can make bread out of the wheat.

I've been waiting until the Panem symbol appears in the sky to open my backpack. As the anthem plays, I quickly sit up and start unzipping my backpack.

The first thing I find are a pair of night vision sunglasses. I've seen them distributed at night at the orchards back in Eleven. These will be helpful, so I put them on.

I pause for a second to watch the faces in the sky.

Both of the tributes from District Three are the first to appear. Well, they looked scrawny and I thought they would die quickly. Next are the tributes from Five, the male tributes from 7, both from 8, both tributes from Nine. The last to appear are both tributes from 10, and the male tributes from 11 and 12. Then the Panem seal appears to end the anthem, and it disappears from the sky.

I sit back on a random log on the ground. So Voltaic Nosa and Aoife Strongbow are dead. I should be glad that such strong tributes are down. But I can't.

I mourn for everyone's death - even the District Three male, Glitch, who was never nice to me. I especially mourn for the two twelve year olds, Glace and Ash.

All gone. I pray for all those families that have just lost a loved one.

I continue going through my backpack. I find a long, curved knife, a spear, and a bow and arrows. I frown, wondering if I will ever use these weapons. Next I find a long, silver cylinder that is labelled: ANTI-ACID + LAVA ARMOR. Taped to it is a note: _For later. _

Trusting whoever put that note, I stash the cylinder back inside. The last things I find in the backpack are several strips of beef jerky, dried fruit, and a canteen filled with water.

So running in the backpack was worth it. But I can't celebrate my victory, with so many of those tributes gone.

24 tributes entered the arena today.

Now there are only 11 left.

_Elana Trotyle (FD7)_

I stretch open my sticky eyes. Am I alive? I look around and pat my cheeks. I seem to be. As I struggle to stand up, my knees give in and I fall back down. It takes about an hour for me to muster enough strength to crawl straight ahead. I don't know where I'm going, but I just need to get away from here.

Some time later I find myself in the Cornucopia, curled into a small little ball. I don't know what I'm doing here, but this place must be good shelter. As I lie down, I look up and notice some vines that look very familiar.

Snotroot! I stand up and yank some off of the ceiling and examine it. It _is _snotroot - I saw this during the edible plants test. It heals any wound in a fast amount of time. Lying back down, I quickly make a poultice and apply it to my stomach wound.

Closing my eyes, I can only hope I will survive.

_Jay Reeds (FD12)_

It was him. During my private training session, while I was running around swiftly, tackling obstacle course after obstacle course, I caught eyesight with him.

Dune Reeds. My father. He left my family several years ago, when I was 7. He disappeared. Vanished. He was believed to be electrocuted by the electrical fence or blasted into pieces by a mining accident.

I never believed any of this. There was always a part of me that knew he still lived.

But I never knew he still lived as the Head Gamemaker. Plotting my death...he should be killed. He certainly deserves it. He left my family and we were starving and depressed. Soon after he disappeared, my mother and brother died.

Its all of his fault. I hate him for it.

I'm still deeply affected, which is probably why I'm talking to Tiger about this, spilling out all my secrets, my feelings, my hurt.

"I understand," Tiger says, biting into a rabbit leg. "Wow. I can't imagine losing your family...you know, I have a baby sister at home. Her name's Ivy. She's my whole world. I'm sorry I've been crazy all Games, injuring your ally, possibly killing her...I just needed to get to you. You just look like someone who could understand how much I want to return home."

I shrug. "I don't know if I _want_ to go home. There will be nothing to return to. No family - just my mockingjay friends. If I die in the Games, I want to at least go down as a fighter."

Tiger leans in close to me. "And what if you don't?" he whispers, his breath smelling like mint.

I stare into his dark eyes. "I don't know. I don't know what my reaction will be in the afterlife."

He leans in closer, until our lips meet.


	12. Chapter 12

**Vote! :D :D**

_Mackenzie Doom (FD2)_

I wake up in the middle of the night, clutching my knife. My forehead is beaded with sweat; I just had a terrible nightmare. The instant replay of me repeatedly stabbing Violet's chest is going through my mind.

Her blood still lies on my knife. I can't believe I did that. I killed a tribute - and I also killed the District 11 male. They both didn't deserve those deaths.

Well, its too late now. Once you're with the Careers, your innocence just floats away.

I think I'm going crazy, as indicated by my next action.

I stand up and grab my knife and Bryan's spear. I also grab the bread we stole from Violet and Roman. However, I don't grab the weapon supplier. Carefully positioning myself above Max and Tara, I slit their throats.

I also can't believe I did that, too. I wrench the weapon supplier from Max's grasp and throw it far into the forest. I was always good at throwing.

As I'm walking away, I know that I should have killed Bryan and Victoria, too. But mercy clouded my mind as my hand, clutching a knife, was shaking above their faces.

Tears roll down my cheeks as Max and Tara's cannons fire. The Hunger Games are cruel.

_Slade Griffith (MD6)_

I'm lying next to Crystal in a cave. After we fled the Careers and watched Violet and Roman fall to their deaths, we headed up towards the candy mountain. We found Voltaic, Aoife, and Glace's bodies before the hovercraft appeared took them away.

They looked awful. But luckily, Voltaic was clutching the food and water supply. We took that and are half way done with it.

Crystal looks so peaceful while she sleeps...almost _too _peaceful for the Games.

Right then I look up and see several patches of the wheat field next to the cave rustling. I stand up and grab a sharp stick.

Another patch rustles, this time closer to me. Carefully walking, clutching the stick up high, I yell, "HIYA!" and pounce at that patch.

I hear a loud scream and then suddenly, a knife is hurtling at me, nicking my ear. As I clamp my hand over my injured ear, the anthem begins to play. I wonder if I will die during it.

My attacker leaps onto my chest and is cutting off my air system. My eyes roll to the back of my head, but then return to see Tara from One and Max from Two in the sky.

"Pr-prepare to d-die!" My attacker stammers. I look up and see a sharp, silver knife shaking above my nose. I look up even further and see the young, scared face of Cher Elgan.

I'm pretty sure she's going to do it, and I don't blame her. I attacked her property and she is just defending herself. If it was me, I might have killed her.

Might have. She just seems so small and innocent - and is just trying to stay alive. Just like most of the other tributes in the arena. Just like me.

I close my eyes and wait for the end. I can only hope Crystal knows that I truly love her, not like those other perverts that I hang out with back in Six. But death doesn't come.

As the anthem ends, I open my eyes and find myself very alone. I'm back in the cave, lying next to Crystal. I frown, wondering what happened.

But there's no time to question it now. I should be grateful for my life.

_Elana Trotyle (FD7)_

Its very white. Everything is white. Right now, I am bathing in a strong, bright light.

My eyes don't seem to be working. I don't know if I'm alive. Was I too late with the snotroot? I really hope not. I want to live. I want to go home.

Where is Jay? Is she okay? Did Tiger kill her?

Things I can't answer as I drift off deeper into unconsciousness.

_Tiger Moor (MD4)_

The small ping sounds as the parachute floats down. I grit my teeth. I don't trust parachutes. Sponsors could poison the thing inside of them. Of course Jay doesn't know. She has many things to learn from me, things that will keep her alive, past the Games. Because that is my goal. I will keep her alive. And maybe, like in the 74th Hunger Games, there will be two victors - me, and Jay.

Jay eagerly reaches up to the parachute, but I stop her. I yank the parachute and sniff it suspiciously. I rip open the parachute and find black fungi. My eyes widen as I recognize what it is, and I toss it into the forest.

Jay gasps; clearly she believes that every parachute is good. But she has to know that that is a complete lie.

"It was the Death," I mutter, bending down and ripping up some herbs for us to eat. "Would've killed us in an instant."

We don't talk for the remainder of the time, but then the Careers burst through.

_Bryan Kessler (MD1)_

I grin mischievously as I stare at Tiger and the girl from Twelve frozen, staring at us with wide, frightened eyes. Victoria lets out an evil cackle next to me.

We've not been so hot after Kenzie betrayed us. We lost both Max and Tara, and the weapon supplier. Thank goodness we still had enough weapons to last us. Victoria swings her trident around.

"So, _Tiger," _she lavishly spits as she advances her district partner. Tiger doesn't meet her gaze. "Victoria," he mumbles. I focus on the girl from Twelve instead. Man, she is a cutie. And she's strong. Things she could've done if she'd join our Career pack.

It looks like there's a fight going on with Tiger and Victoria.

"I dumped you because you were ignoring me!" Victoria's face is stung with tears. I'm surprised to see her crying. "And I was pretty sure you were also seeing ten more girls - and you were being cocky. Extremely arrogant. I don't like that in a guy."

Tiger's face is shocked. "How could you say that? _You _hurt me! You should be the one about to be dead, not me!"

But its too late. Victoria's already swung her trident and it pierces Tiger's chest. Blood spurts everywhere, and Victoria smiles as she releases the trident.

"No!" The girl runs towards Tiger as he falls to the ground. She clutches his hand, whispering soft words to him.

"She's all yours," Victoria mutters to me as she turns away from Tiger. I raise my sword, eager to slice it through the girl.

But before I can do anything, she lets go of Tiger's hand as his cannon fires, turns away from me, and sprints.

**Deaths So Far:**

**Tara Gore (FD1) - Throat slit by Mackenzie Doom (FD2)**

**Max Holter (MD2) - Throat slit by Mackenzie Doom (FD2)**

**Zeena Garcia (FD3) - Died in bloodbath, cause of death unknown**

**Glitch Pierce (MD3) - Died in bloodbath, cause of death unknown**

**Tiger Moor (MD4) - Speared with trident by Victoria Cristo (FD4)**

**Jaci Garner (FD5) - Died in bloodbath, strangled to death by Jules Zinn (MD11)**

**Voltaic Nosa (MD5) - Hallucinations caused by Moodbugs**

**Guy Seville (MD7) - Pierced with axe by Glitch Pierce (MD3)**

**Glace DeBay (FD8) - Hallucinations caused by Moodbugs**

**Grey Falkner (MD8) - Knife to back from Bryan Kessler (MD1)**

**Violet Flores (FD9) - Stabbed to death by Mackenzie Doom (FD2)**

**Roman Bronicki (MD9) - Stabbed to death by Bryan Kessler (MD1)**

**Aoife Strongbow (FD10) - Hallucinations caused by Moodbugs**

**Kurt Morein (MD10) - Pierced with axe by Glitch Pierce (MD3)**

**Jules Zinn (MD11) - Skull slashed by Mackenzie Doom (FD2)**

**Ash Birchwood (MD12) - Chest sliced by Bryan Kessler (MD1)**


	13. Chapter 13

_Jay Reeds (FD12)_

I'm raising through the forest, branches whipping my face as I run as fast as I can. Adrenaline and shock courses through my veins as I run, my eyes filled with tears when I think of Tiger, lifeless on the ground.

I wonder where Elana is. She's not dead since her face didn't appear in the sky. I think its best if I go and find her. _Thud. _I look up to see Elana on the ground. She seems to have fallen out of the tree.

"Oh, Elana, are you okay?" I bend down and notice that her stomach wound is looking much better. Elana groans as she opens her eyes.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just decided to go and find you after I healed myself with some snotroot - long story." Elana explains as she struggles to get up.

My head looks from side to side, desperate to see if there's any sign of Bryan or Victoria. "Tiger's dead," My voice is soft and hoarse as we climb up a big willow tree that will provide us enough shelter. Elana found some vines that could strap us to the tree at night.

"That must have been the cannon I just heard." Elana says as we munch on the herbs Tiger picked. "How'd it happen?"

I have to look away to answer. "The Careers - Victoria and Bryan. For some reason, Mackenzie wasn't with them. Anyways, they came. Victoria and Tiger got into a fight. With no weapons - just words. Something about their past in District Four. Victoria seemed hurt, and then she swung the trident..." I gulp and fight back the tears.

"Its okay. Its okay." Elana comforts me for the next few moments as I bawl about Tiger's death.

I look into Elana's eyes. "Let's win this." I whisper.

_Cher Elgan (FD11)_

I'm clutching my stomach, groaning in pain as it growls unhappily. Turns out the food supplied in the wheat field was poisoned. Stupid Gamemakers. So I guess its true that the only food and water supply available is the one from the Cornucopia. My throat is on fire and is aching from thirst.

I feel like my life will come to an end, soon. After nearly killing the boy from Six, I have been thrashing on the ground, silently screaming from the pain. Either the poison will kill me, or a tribute will.

At least I made it to the final eight. Interviews are going on right now. I can imagine what my mother and brothers are doing during the interview. My mother, filled with tears, telling memorable story after story. Mark and Chaz are most likely playing around with their little wooden toy trucks my mother carefully chiseled for them.

The first tear slides down my cheek as I think about my family.

I must return to them.

_Mackenzie Doom (FD2)_

I need to find Bryan and Victoria. I need to feel their blood on my knife. I need to see every tribute down, down, down to the ground...

As I etch more symbols onto a cave wall, I can only think about how happy I will feel when my knife rips through their skin, their flesh, and all killing will be complete.

_Crystal Lumen (FD6)_

I roll over and open my eyes. I see Slade next to me, knocked out, with a little blood flowing out of his ear. In his hand lies a stick, and a message spelled out with leaves lies on the ground.

_I saved him after the trespass. I understand I could've killed both of you, but I'm not that kind of person. The Hunger Games are cruel, and its point is for us to fight to our death, but I don't think it means that I should kill every person I see. Be grateful for your life._

_- C._

I stare at the signature. _C. _Who's that? What's 'the trespass'? I turn to wake up Slade by slapping him in the face.

"What the heck is the trespass? Who's C?" I'm nearly screaming at him. "Is C a girl? Is C a tribute who you've secretly been loving all this time? Are you abandoning me?"

The moment its out, I realize the truth.

I'm jealous. And if I'm jealous, that means...

I love him.

_Slade Griffith (MD6)_

I watch as Crystal storms out of the cave, screaming, "I'm going to go for a little walk!" Feeling amazed, I stare at the message on the ground.

My hand falls over the last word. _Life. _

Only Cher could do something so beautiful, so natural, so..._her. _I gaze at the message for a long time, rereading it over and over again. I wonder if she is dead.

But I doubt it. There has been no cannons today. I hope I just didn't jinx that. That can happen often, I've found. I stand up and wince as my knees give in. I have been sitting down much to long. Finally, when I muster enough strength to stand up once more, I walk out of the cave and take in the sunlight. This day is so beautiful...this arena is so beautiful.

I never thought I would say that. Suddenly, I feel the ground rumbling. I fall to all fours and cling to the ground. Is it an earthquake? Will a dam break and will this arena flood? I see the candy mountain suddenly shake and explode, spewing out what seems to be..._water. _I'm suddenly yelling, grabbing our food supply, the sharp stick, and running for the only thing that I'm sure will keep us afloat - the island.

The island was something Crystal and I discovered when we were on our way up the candy mountain. Its far away, off into the distance, with iron walls blocking it off. Its truly in the middle of nowhere, surrounded with water.

I find Crystal and grab her head, just like I did when Violet and Roman were killed. We run past the Cornucopia and towards the beach. Looking up and seeing the water swiftly flowing down the mountain like a spiral, we both plunge into the ocean.

I know how to swim because my father, who was originally from District Four, taught me how. I don't know if Crystal can swim, but I'm just hoping she can survive. Opening my eyes underneath, I look at the pretty coral and fish swimming around.

I swim to the surface and smell the air once more, taking in a few gulps. I look to my right and see Crystal. She appears to know how to swim. She points behind us and I see Bryan and Victoria traveling. Bryan is flailing in the water, but Victoria is making her way towards us.

Of course. She's from District Four. We don't stand a chance.

"Faster!" Crystal screams as the water level rises - I look behind us and stare as the water from the mountain enters the ocean and floods the beach. I take in a gulp of seawater, and when I emerge from the water, I'm gasping.

We're so close to the island, we can't give up now. I plunge into the water and notice how all the fish have disappeared. They must of noticed how the water level had changed. As I'm swimming towards the island, I feel another rumble and watch in horror as the mountain explodes once more, spewing out more water. The waves are howling and pushing us back and forth. I look behind me to see that now Elana and Jay have joined us. Where is Cher? Did she make it?

I grasp on the handle of the door on the island. I whip it open and jump inside. I let out a sigh of relief when I see that the water hasn't reached the island yet. I stick out my hand and grab Crystal's hand, and attempt to throw her inside of the island, but Bryan has made it too and has flung himself onto Crystal, clinging onto her leg. Crystal yells and she's trying to throw her off, but his grasp is too tight.

Suddenly, both Bryan and Crystal are pushed in and I'm thrown back. I crash into the iron wall and moan as I hear at least two bones break. Victoria reveals herself, her hair glistening from the seawater, and she's looking even more attractive than ever. She attempts to slam the door, but two hands appear and push it open. Elana and Jay weakly push themselves up and collapse on the ground.

Victoria then slams the door and smiles, clutching her trident. I see why the Gamemakers created the flood - so all of the tributes would come together.

"Which one of you will be first? How about you, Slade." She raises her trident and I wince, knowing that this will truly be the end. Suddenly, the ground is rumbling once more and I sigh. _Not again, _I think, waiting for the gush of water. Instead, the platform we're all lying on is slowly rising up, and I look up to see the beautiful sky. When the platform finally stops, we all stare at each other, wondering what to do next.


	14. Chapter 14

**Short chapter today, sorry for the long wait - I had exams this week and didn't have enough time to type up this chapter.**_  
_

_Mackenzie Doom (FD2)_

Insanity. My fingers flew over the page, stopping on one word.

Insanity. I looked up at my mother, my beloved mother, my deceased mother...

"What does this word mean, momma?" I asked in my high, soprano voice.

She shifted her head and looked down at the book I was holding.

"Insanity?" she said, peering over my head. "It means a state of mentally illness, or madness."

Is insanity the word that best describes my mental state right now? Is insanity the word that describes who I really am? _Insane?_

I cling to the Cornucopia as I watch the water rise, higher, higher, and higher... Grasping my knife, I gently carve the deaths of tributes that I am responsible of...

_Max Holter, _I write. _Throat slit by me. Tara Gore. Throat slit by me. _

On and on the list goes, ending with the alive tributes. All of their deaths with be caused by me.

A loud thud causes me to look up. The girl from Eleven has landed on the Cornucopia next to me. Her breath is low and shallow, and she's clutching her stomach. My gaunt face lifts into a grin and I raise my knife.

Approaching her slowly, I can't wait to slice my blade through her flesh.

_Crystal Lumen (FD6)_

I stare in horror as Victoria advances Slade, her eyes glowing like a maniac. She raises her trident high and I look away. _Crunch. _I choke back a sob as I hear the trident reach its trident.

Turning around to give Slade a few, last words, I see his body not there. I turn my head and see that he has fallen into the deep sea below. My eyes are wide with panic, and I look behind me and see Victoria and Bryan advancing Jay and Elana.

"Don't worry Slade," I whisper slowly, looking back once more just to make sure the other tributes aren't focusing on me. I leap to what quite possibly could be my death, hugging my knees to my chest.

The impact of me hitting the water makes my heart stop for a second before it starts beating fast once more.

Slade is gasping for breath as the water level rises and rises as the mountain continues to spew more and more water. My arms wave around wildly as I try to find Slade's hand.

Water bubbles at my lip, and I hold my breath as a wave crashes over my head. I emerge from the water to see Slade coughing up some water he swallowed.

"It's going to be okay!" I scream over the chaos as I hear screams and moans of pain from above. My hand finds something I can grip onto. Looking to my right I see I've found the door.

"Okay, Slade, grab my hand," I yell as another wave soars in. "I'm going to yank about this door, pull you in, and hopefully not a lot of water will get in."

Slade, coughing up the rest of the water, mumbles, "On the count of three. One, two...THREE!" I twist the doorknob and yank open the door, mustering alll my strength to pull Slade in. Once he collapses on the floor, I slam the door.

We're breathing heavily for a few minutes. Slade is still coughing up some water, and, looking out from the window on the door, I see that we are completely underwater.

Oh, well. At least we're safe.

_Bryan Kessler (MD1)_

I love the look of terror on these poor little girls faces. I'm feasting on their fear, and its making me powerful.

Licking my lips, I look at Victoria. "Which one do you want to do first?" I ask.

"How about this Seven girl," Victoria replies. "You can do the honors."

Raising my spear, I say, "How about I'll give you a little treat, girl. I'll kill you slowly." I slam my spear into her leg, and blood spurts everywhere. She lets out a cry of pain and I smile. Pulling out the spear, I lick the blood off. It tastes metallic, and I'm loving it.

Preparing to do the other leg, I feel a stab in my stomach. Looking up, I see that the girl from Twelve has kicked me. I'm thrown back and I'm left dangling over the edge of this tower thing.

Victoria runs towards me and attempts to pull me up, but I'm too heavy. Letting go, I crash into the water. I frantically attempt to swim, but its not long before I lose what little breath I had.

As my vision fades away, my cannon fires.

_Jay Reeds (FD12)_

With Elana tucked under my arm, I'm propelling myself towards what used to be the shore. After Bryan died and Victoria attempted to kill us, instinct told me to jump off and start swimming.

So thats what I did. But Victoria is close behind us, and I can hear her trained feet propelling herself closer towards me. Elana's blood is streaming through the water, making it turn into this weird maroon color.

I hope she still lives, but that gash that Bryan gave her doesn't look so good. I wonder where the tributes from Six are. Have they drowned yet?

And what about the girl from Two? The girl from Eleven? What happened to them? Their cannons didn't fire.

Finally, I've lost Victoria, thanks to the high waves. After a few hours, Elana and I are safely propped up in a tree. I past the Cornucopia, and I didn't see anyone there.

As the sun sets, Elana and I hum a small, little tune. For now, we will wait.


	15. Chapter 15

_Cher Elgan (F11)_

My head is raised as Mackenzie approaches me. I can only think of my family as her blade is high above my skull. _What are you doing, Cher? Get up and swim away! Even some ginger would be faster than you! _

Some ginger...it could heal my stomachache. "Ginger." I whisper.

Mackenzie frowns. "What's that?" Her voice is sickly, and her skin hugs her bones. You can tell she hasn't eaten much.

"N-nothing," I stammer, using my free hand to feel around the Cornucopia. Perhaps if I can escape, maybe I'll find some ginger in the forest...surely not everything is covered with water by now.

The cannon booms, and panic begins to build in my chest. I'm wondering who that is, and if I'll live to the next day.

"The next cannon will be yours!" Mackenzie snarls, and she swings. I leap off the Cornucopia and crash into the water. The impact makes my ears ring, and the next thing I know I'm paddling through the water. My mother taught me how to swim when I was little in a little pond behind our house, and I'm fortunate that I'm still alive.

Mackenzie has apparently got some brains in her, because instead of chasing me, she swears and gives up on me. So her mind has not entirely been taken over by insanity.

After a few hours, I reach a place where the water is shallow. The pain in my stomach is beginning to build. Hopefully I'll find some ginger soon. I reach underneath the swelling waves and tug at the ground. I come away with some sort of root. Examining it, I see it is ginger. I almost cheer with joy, but I can't, because my stomach lurches again, making me almost drown.

I quickly stuff the ginger into my mouth and start chewing. It tastes tangy and a bit bitter, but it will do for now. I wash up near a waterfall. Large stones are blocking the waves from coming here, so I'll be safe.

I peel off my jacket and lay it out on the ground. Settling down, I wait for sleep.

_Elana Trotyle (FD7) _

I wake up to find the waves gone. My head wildly swings around. Where did all the water go?

"Jay," I whisper. Her eyes blink open. "The water...the water is all gone." She stares around and gasps. "Where'd it all go?"

"I don't know..." Suddenly, I feel the tree fall beneath me. "AAAHH!" I scream, feeling around.

"Hello, there." I look up to see Victoria Cristo staring down at us with her trident and an axe. Her eyes are brighter than ever, and butterflies flutter in my stomach.

"Nice meeting you here." She throws her head back and cackles, loud and clear. I wince as her voice echoes off into the forest."Who should I kill first? Elana..." Her gaze swings to Jay.

"Or you?" I can already tell she's made her decision. I see fear pass onto Jay's face, and I try to lock eye contact with her. _Run, _I think. _Run away! _

I've seen Victoria kill with one blow. As the trident raises, I gulp.

"Hiya!" "NOOOOO!" I throw myself on top of Jay, closing my eyes, expecting the pain to come. The trident snuggles itself right into my abdomen, and I hear several of my bones crunch.

I hear Jay moving and kicking Victoria, making her flee. I sigh as I listen to Victoria's steady feet running away. My eyes fly open and I stare at Jay, who is above me.

"Jay..." My voice is feeble. My vision blurs, but then comes back to focus.

"Thank you for saving me." Jay whispers quietly. She whistles, and suddenly I hear a lot of chirping. Its soft and sweet, and relaxes my fluttering heart that will abruptly stop soon.

"My mockingjay friends. They followed me here." I sigh and watch as my vision blurs once more. "I saw my father," Jay continues. "Dune Reeds. Head Gamemaker. He most definitely programmed that exploding candy mountain because of me. He hates me. I hate him. He abandoned my family...and now all of them are dead because of him. I wish I could kill him. If he wants me dead, then I sure can want him dead!"

My vision returns for one last second before everything turns white. "Forgiveness before revenge..." I murmur.

_Mackenzie Doom (FD2)_

The cannon booms. I look up at the darkening sky, waiting for the Panem seal. I want to know the deaths so I can cross the tributes off of my list. Looking up, I see that Bryan Kessler and Elana Trotyle were killed today. As I cross them off my list, tears begin to roll down my cheeks.

So many tributes dead. Do I really have to go kill them?


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: I'm finally up to speed! These days I've been uninspired, but I have promised to myself that I will finish this. **

**Also, those who are fans of my **_**Secrets and Witnesses **_**series, the prequel is coming out...soon.**

_Crystal Lumen (FD6)_

The sky rumbles as Slade and I collapse onto the shore. We felt the tower begin to sink earlier today as the floor gave in to the water. So, we swam.

What a horrible mistake. Our bones ache, our mouthes are dry...

Victoria could easily appear and kill us once and for all.

"We've got to...keep on...going," Slade gasps. I lay limp on the shore, my eyes trained on the sky. Slade's horrible black eyes follow my gaze.

"She's...going...to catch...us..." Slade continues as his breath is now a heavy rattle. "In fact...she's already...here..." He lifts up one shaky finger and points at the lean figure of Victoria running toward us, trident in hand.

I gulp. This is it. This is the end. The end of my sad, poor life in District 6, monitoring the trains...the transportation...

Will my family remember me? Marigold, Barley, Raisin, and Pitalla? Will they remember my brave sacrifice I made for them, just so their lives would continue? Will Roger remember me, Roger, the blacksmith's son, Roger, my only friend in District 6, Roger, who I possibly love?

Will I end up dying with Slade Griffith, the pervert with dull black eyes that know my bedroom better than I do?

Will Victoria's trident deliver the final blow, piercing my abdomen? One thing is for certain - I want a quick, painless death.

"Hiya!" Victoria leaps over and attacks Slade first, stabbing him in the back. I watch as he falls backwards, and the word, "No!" escapes my lips.

Then I hear the crunch and look down as Victoria removes her trident from my stomach. I fall backwards, too, and Victoria runs away once more, cackling with laughter.

Slade crawls over to me, and grasps my hand. I hold onto it tight, not wanting to let go.

He manages to smile as we both bleed our lives out. "So. I guess this is how it ends."

I stare at his eyes, and suddenly feel confused. Was it the light, or...

"Yeah." I reply curiously to him, continuously staring at his eyes. Slade sighs and his hand goes limp as his cannon fires.

As my vision too starts to fade away, and my cannon fires, I can only think of one thing.

Slade's eyes aren't black.

They're blue.

_Jay Reeds (F12)_

I watch in disgust as the grapple lowers down and grasps Elana's corpse. The three last words she spoke were "Forgiveness before revenge."

Forgiveness? Is she kidding me? _Forgiveness?_

How can I forgive my father, when he is the reason why the rest of my family is dead?

How can I forgive my father, when he used to knock on the door every morning and put me in his lap, and say good morning.

How can I forgive my father, when one day he didn't knock on the door, when he vanished mysteriously.

How can I forgive my father, when I saw him that day, drinking wine with the other Gamemakers, and simply not caring, not looking at me, not at least showing some recognition.

How can I forgive my father, when he didn't apologize to me at all.

I kick at the grass and shoo away my mockingjay friends. I don't want their company now.

I look up and see the tree oozing with blood. I stare at it curiously and walk towards it, carefully placing my hand on the trunk. But then, the tree begins to disintegrate and I suddenly see Elana, alive, passionately stabbing Bryan over and over again.

Then I see all the other tributes, aiming for me, holding their weapon of choice, charging at me. I suddenly see a sharp branch on the ground and stab the nearest tribute in the stomach, and they all disappear.

Satisfied, I settle down for some sleep as the Panem athem plays...

* * *

I wake up to find blood everywhere. I'm utterly confused until I look down, at my stomach, to see the sharp branch I used to the stab the dead tribute yesterday lodged neatly in my stomach.

I start convulsing, and my vision is fading in and out. Turns out I didn't kill a tribute yesterday.

I killed myself.


	17. Chapter 17

**Down to the final three - don't forget to vote!**

_Mackenzie Doom (FD2)_

I look down at my list. Only three of us left. Me, Victoria, and Cher. Two kills. Then, I'll get to return home and drink my life away with my family...at least I'll bring pride to my district.

Victoria will be a harder kill. Cher? Pffff. Easy. A little, weak girl suffering from a little stomachache. Do I need to call her a wambulance?

I think not. What better honor for me is to take her out of her pain.

I suddenly hear a deep rumbling. I look behind me and almost gasp. Poisonous acid, deep purple and bubbly, lurches towards me. For the first time in days, I leap off of the Cornucopia and dash in the opposite direction of the acid. I clutch my knife and run, run away.

Dash away from something that will burn my skin and flesh until the only thing left are bones.

I can't let that happen. I need to win. My district...they need pride! We need to be recognized as victorious this year! And my family...I need to return to them.

I dash into an open clearing and pant, waiting for me to catch my breath before I'll start running again.

_Cher Elgan (FD11)_

I wake up to see acid sloshing through the forest. My eyes widen with fear. I grab the backpack and start running. My hand quickly unzips the backpack as I search for the long, silver cylinder that I opened in the wheat fields.

At least my stomach doesn't hurt anymore. I wrench out the cylinder and pop it open. Quickly stopping since I got a head start on the acid, I yank on the anti-acid and lava armor. It is nearly transparent and is made out of a flowing material. I then proceed to continue to run, even though I technically don't have to.

I end up in a clearing and check to make sure I am still wearing the armor. I wait for what happens next.

_Victoria Cristo (FD4) _

The wind whips my hair as I dash away from the acid that churns around the corner. Thinking I have a head start, I stop at a clearing to take a breath.

It turns how I'm the last one. Cher and Mackenzie are already here, but they don't seem to notice each other. I look ahead of me and see a large building. Seeing the acid appearing from all of the three paths we took, I start dashing to the building.

I hear Cher and Mackenzie following me from behind as I yank open the building door.

We end up in a long hallway. There are only three doors. My blood turns to ice when I realize that each door has our name on it.

Cher attempts to open the one that says MACKENZIE, but she can't. I try to open the one that says MACKENZIE, but I can't. Mackenzie gulps as she walks up to the door and turns the knob. We all hear a click, and it opens.

I then proceed to go to my door. I hold my breath as I turn the knob and it opens. Cher does the same. We all look at each other and head into our rooms.

Its an empty room with plain, white walls and a wooden flooring. At first I'm confused, but then I realize I am not alone.

I turn around and see a beautiful girl with a seductive smile, perfect skin, and shining hair.

The girl is me.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: One person POV today.**

_Victoria Cristo (FD4)_

I stare at my beautifulness. She walks up to me with an amused expression and a curved knife clutched in her hands. I can't help but noticing my usually green eyes are golden on her. There are no pupils; it seems like those golden eyes will know everything about a person's life with just one simple gaze. I almost gulp in fear, but I keep it back. I can't show that I'm afraid to my enemies...especially myself.

"Since when did I use knives, _Victoria._" I spit, clutching my trident protectively. "You've got to be a better clone that _that. _C'mon. Get your head in the game."

My confidence that I can bring her down vanishes rapidly as I stare in horror as she swiftly dashes towards me until she's face to face with me and her knife is pressed onto my throat.

"What do you want." I spit with anger between bared teeth. She throws her head back and laughs. My eyes narrow to a slit as she continues to laugh. Only when she quiets down is when she answers me.

"Well, Vicky, I'd thought you'd know by now. I want you _dead_. Then _I _can be the new Victoria Cristo, and win the Games. Oh, and then, I can just start to go out with all the other boys in my district, because that's just the kind of slut I am."

I feel a fire spark in my throat. I start growling very lowly, but I force myself to stop, because I don't want her to know that she's gotten to my head.

Conjuring all my strength, I kick Victoria in the stomach and send her flying across the room. I think I've beat her when I hear the satisfying _crunch, _but only realize that this battle is not over when she stands back up, unscathed.

Until now is when I'm starting to realize that I can't win this battle. She is clearly a mutt, something created by the Capitol...she can't be defeated. Unless...

"You realize you aren't real," I say, regaining my confidence. She stares at me for a while, her golden eyes turning to static for a moment.

"What do you mean by that," she says, still clutching her knife, yet lower than before.

I hold my trident behind my back as I slowly approach her. "You're a mutt."

"A mutt?" I can see her golden eyes flash to static some more.

"Mhm, mhm, a mutt," I say, positioning my trident to get ready. "Created by the Capitol, destined to never die, to never have feelings, to never really be...human. Your only purpose is to kill people. Nothing else. You work for the Capitol...you don't have your own personality, because the Capitol created you, and the Capitol controls you."

"I...I'm...controlled? By another person?" I can see the uncertainty in her voice as she looks down at her hands.

"Uh huh..." As I edge on closer, I slowly take out my trident, ready to make the kill.

"Whatever!" she suddenly screams. I watch in shock as she jumps and suddenly stabs me in the stomach with the curved knife. I shriek as the knife pierces my body and a jolt of pain runs through me. For a while, I am just standing there, curled over her knife. She yanks out the weapon from my body, and I collapse onto the floor.

She looks satisfied and is breathing heavily. "I...did...it..." she whispers. "I...killed...myself."

I look at her and watch as slowly she begins to disintegrate, leaving only her robotic ashes.

The pain is too great as the room falls silent. So this is how it ends. I look up at the ceiling and think about my family...

_I told you you were a muttation. _I think as my vision blurs. I can only hope that whoever wins the Games really appreciates it...


End file.
